Device for extracting traction-wheels from holes.



S., F. & L. H. F. ROHE. DEVICE FOR EXTRAGTING TRACTION WHEELS FROMHOLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJS, 1912. LVQQUQ I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL ROI-IE, FOSTMAN ROHE, AND LOUIS H. F. ROHE, 0F KE NMAR'E, NORTHDAKOTA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22,- 1913.

Application filed August a, 1912. Serial No. 713,629.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL RoHE, Fosr- MAN Bonn, and LOUIS H. F. Rona,citizens of the United States, residin at Kenmare, in the county ofWVard and gtate of North Dakota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Devices for Extracting Traction-VVheels from Holes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to new. and useful improvements in devices for usein connection with the drive or tractive wheels of traction engines,automobiles and other selfpropelled vehicles and the ob]ect of our 111-vention is to provide a device WhlCll may be attached to a wheel of thecharacter described when the latter becomes embedded in soft soil or mudin such a manner'as to slip without giving tractive force, the devicebeing adapted to overcome this slipplng of the wheel.

More specifically the object of our invention is to provide a bodymember which may be positioned in front of the wheel and a flexiblemember which may be secured to the body member and to the wheel in sucha manner that the spinning of the wheel will wind the flexible memberabout the same, drawing the wheel upi on the body member and thus givingit su cient tractive force to extract the vehicle from the sand pit, boghole or other difficulty.

A further object of our invention is to so arrange the securing means,between the flexible member and the body member that when the wheelpasses from the forward end of the body member, the flexible member willbe automatically detached from the body member leaving the vehicle freeto continue beyond the same.

With these and other objects in view, our invention will be more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and thenspecifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form apropelled vehicle, a slightly modified form cated in all the views ofthe drawing by the same reference characters.

Our invention embodies a body portion 10 preferably consisting of astrip of wood and a chain or other flexible connection 11 adaplted to bedetachably secured to one end of t e body member and by its free end tothe wheel to be extricated. More specifically, the body member, which issubstantially rectangular in shape, has its lower face at one endbeveled as shown at 12 and is provided throughout its length with a ooveor channel 13 formed in its upper ace, the channel, as best shown inFig. 2 of the drawing, being deepened at that end of the body memberopposite the beveled end Secured by bolts or other suitable means to theforward portion of the lower face of the body member 10 and extending inadvance of the same, is an L-shaped plate of metal 14, the advanced endof which is extended at right angles as shown at 15 to bear against theforward end of the body member 10. This upwardly directed portion 15 ofthe plate terminates short of the top of the body member and is providedcentrally with a slot 16.

The flexible member 11, which is preferably a. chain having squareshouldered links, is positioned in the channel 13 of the body member andwith one of its links disposed in the slot 16 of the plate-in such amanner that the next link engages against the plate at the sides of theslot, thereby preventing rearward movement of the chain through thegroove of the body member. The free end of this chain is provided with ahook 17 of any suitable design and is attached to the traction wheelwhen the device is in use by inserting its bill through a suit ableperforation 18 formed in the tread of the wheel. When thedevice is soapplied, the spinning of the wheel upon the application of wer will windthe chain 11 about the periphery of the wheel drawing the body member 10toward the wheel until it passes beneath the same when the wheel willride over the body member advancing the traction engine and bringing thewheel to solid ground. As soon as the wheel passes from the forward endof the body member, that link of the chain engaging in the slot 16 isautomatically lifted from the slot and the chain therefore freed fromthe body member.

' By beveling the rear end of the body member, the latter is adapted totilt somewhat as the wheel passes on to it, thus offering lessresistance to the movement of the wheel and at the same time greatlyrelieving the strain upon the chain. By deepening the channel at theforward end of the body member, the

chain at that end lies at an angle and is much more readily disengagedfrom the lock comprises a double chain including a pair of chainsconnected in parallel spaced relation by one or more connecting links 22at spaced intervals, the chain being practically identical with certaintypes of tire chains employed in preventing the skidding of automobilewheels. This double chain is positioned upon the body member inidentically the same manner as the single chain, the connecting links 22being seated in the transversely extending grooves or channels 20 of thebody member. The free end of this chain is provided with any suitablemeans for attaching the same to the automobile wheel, a suitable devicebeing shown in Fig. 4 including a short chain 23 secured by one end tothe terminal link of one of the chains and provided at its opposite endwith a hook 24 for engagement in the terminal link of the oppositechain, this chain being passed over the rim and secured in such a mannerthat under strain it will engage against one of the wheel spokes andlock the device in place.

It will ofcourse be understood that the device may be constructed eitheras shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 4 of the drawing without in the slightestdegree departing from the spirit of our invention. However, the form ofbody member shown in Fig. 4 is preferableto that shown in Fig. 1 as itmay employed interchangeably with either chain with traction engines andmotor vehicles alike.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the character described including a grooved body member,and a flexi- 2.- A device of the character described in-.

cluding a body member provided with a longitudinally extending groove, achain seating in the groove and provided at one end with wheel engagingmeans, and means for locking the other end of the chain to the bodymember.

3. A device of the character described including a body member, the rearend of which is beveled, said bodymember being provided with alongitudinally extending groove, the forward end of which is deepened, achain seating in said groove, means for detachably securing one end ofthe chain in the deepened portion of the groove, and means for attachingthe free end of the chain to a wheel.

4. A device of the character described, in-

cluding a body member provided with a longitudinally extending groove, ametal.

plate bearing over the end of the body memher and provided with an openslot in alinement with the groove, a chain seating in the groove andadapted to be detachably .secured therein by the engagement of one ofits links in the slot of the plate, and

wheel engaging means carried by the free end of the chain.

5. A device of the character described including a body member providedwith longitudinally extending parallel spaced apart grooves in its upperface and spaced apart transversely extending grooves connecting thelongitudinal grooves, a plate secured against one end of the body memberand provided with open slots in alinement with the longitudinal groovesand a flexible element seating in said grooves and adapted forattachment by one end to a wheel, said element including a pair ofchains seating in the longitudinal grooves and enga ing by certain oftheir links with the'slots o the plate, and a plurality of spaced apartlinks of chains connecting the first mentioned chains and maintainingthe same in spaced relation, a portion of said connecting chains seatingin the transverse grooves of the body member.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

